Back in high school, Ron Gehling traversed across the countryside with his 1961 Plymouth Fury. He later traded it in to purchase another vehicle. A few years later, he found it again. PHOTO COURTESY OF LANNA GEHLING

Cars hold special stories at times. Don and Dorrie Besse have many memories of this 1964 Chevy Impala convertible. But they had to sell it to pay for the birth of their first daughter. PHOTO COURTESY OF DON BESSE

Ron Gehling's Fury had to be refurbished after spending years in a pasture. PHOTO COURTESY OF LANNA GEHLING

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Thursday, March 05, 2015 4:00 PM

Some people have fond memories of the first car they ever owned. They took that road trip out of state or had their first date in that car. There are always memories attached to cars, good and bad, but sometimes the first car stands out in one’s memory and each car is compared to that first one.

“I’ve had it since 1992, and I got it because I gave up motorcycles because I had a close call with my motorcycle,” related the Chatfield barber, speaking of his candy apple-red 1963 Ford Falcon convertible. The car is now the apple – or bird — of his eye.

Some people have fond memories of the first car they ever owned. They took that road trip out of state or had their first date in that car. There are always memories attached to cars, good and bad, but sometimes the first car stands out in one’s memory and each car is compared to that first one.

Rushford native Ernie Tuff has been dubbed the “World’s Fastest Man.” He’s not a runner, he’s not even a racer, he modifies cars and engines to make some of the fastest cars in the world, and he has done this for over 50 years.

Jay Mensink, Jr., (familiarly known as JJ) of Harmony, 22, grew up around cars and has always wanted to race. The influences and help he has received from his family and crew chief Travis Schletty has contributed to Mensink's quick rise to the top of Hornet class racing.

In a time when full-service gas stations are rare, customers in Harmony actually have two options to meet their needs. The Harmony Repair Service and Kerns Auto and Rec continue to offer customers the option of having their gas pumped for them, as well as having their oil and other fluids checked, windows washed and tires gauged.

"The first one I actually saw was in an old Elvis Presley movie. He was driving along the beach in an old yellow one. The whole idea behind dune buggies is to be out on the sand ... they were the first ATVs, I think.